In the ever-evolving worlds of interior design and fashion, trends often intersect and sometimes even contradict each other. However, in 2024, we are witnessing a strong convergence between the two. As we explore the top interior design trends for this year, it becomes apparent that quiet luxury and personalization are at the forefront. With a focus on classic, investment pieces and a departure from staged, Instagram-ready interiors, homeowners are seeking to create spaces that reflect their individual tastes and stories.
Embracing Quiet Luxury
The concept of quiet luxury is gaining momentum in interior design, influenced by the TV show “Succession” and a shift away from flashy, blingy luxury. Designers are emphasizing the importance of timeless, classic pieces that serve as the foundation for a room. Jake Arnold, a renowned designer whose clients include Chrissy Teigen and Katy Perry, suggests that the same principles that apply to a quiet luxury wardrobe can be applied to interior design. This includes a focus on dark woods, luxurious soft textures, and traditionally shaped furniture that can evolve over time through re-upholstery.
Timothy Corrigan, another esteemed designer, points out that sophisticated brands like Hermès have continued to thrive, while flashier luxury brands have seen a decline. This further reinforces the trend of quiet luxury in interior design, where understated elegance takes precedence over ostentatious displays.
Mono-Rooms: Tone-on-Tone Decor
One of the emerging trends in 2024 is the concept of mono-rooms, where tone-on-tone decor is the key to creating a visually striking space. Jeremiah Brent, a respected designer, notes that layering a single hue within a room can elevate the overall aesthetic. By emphasizing texture, silhouette, and material, mono-rooms allow for a cohesive and impactful design. Whether it’s through plaster walls mixed with wood floors or ceilings, or all-in-one rooms with a single textile pattern, this approach allows the furniture to shine and creates a sense of sophistication.
Fashion Colors as Home Colors: The Rise of Brown and Red
Fashion often sets the tone for interior design trends, and 2024 is no exception. Brown is set to have a major moment, with designers like Martyn Lawrence Bullard predicting its prevalence in interiors. From lacquered walls to velvet drapery and heavy textured linen sofas, brown brings warmth and richness to any space. Additionally, the color red, which dominated the fashion scene in 2023, is expected to spill over into interiors. Joy Moyler believes that red will make a strong statement, and when combined with a side of latte, it creates a visually appealing contrast.
Vintage Lighting: Adding Patina and Character
Vintage lighting is making a comeback in 2024, adding a touch of character and history to living spaces. Heidi Caillier, a renowned designer, highlights the importance of incorporating vintage lighting to bring a room together. She has found amazing ’50s-era Italian and French floor lamps and pendants, which add a sense of nostalgia and uniqueness to any space. By embracing vintage pieces, designers can create a curated and collected interior that tells a story.
China Pantries: A Contemporary Take on Butler Pantries
Clients are increasingly requesting contemporary takes on the traditional “butler pantry” for displaying and storing flatware and china. These spaces have a retail display quality, allowing homeowners to showcase their collections while maintaining a sense of organization and elegance. This trend reflects a desire for functional yet aesthetically pleasing storage solutions that seamlessly blend into the overall design of a home.
Stripes: Making a Bold Statement
Bold stripes are making a comeback in interior design, creating a traditional yet modern aesthetic. Designers like Heidi Caillier and Martin Brudnizki are embracing stripes in various ways, whether it’s a full-dip striped room or a striped tiled shower. Stripes add visual interest and can be used in a blue-and-white color palette to create a timeless and elegant look. Whether it’s candy-style stripes or classic windowpane patterns, this trend offers a simple yet impactful way to incorporate patterns into a space.
Glass Bricks: Innovative Materials for Versatile Design
Glass bricks, popular in the ’80s and ’90s for showers and bathrooms, are making a comeback in 2024. However, this time they are being used in innovative ways as flooring material, table surfaces, and tiles. Brigette Romanek, a renowned designer, advocates for the use of glass bricks to add a unique and contemporary touch to living spaces. By incorporating this versatile material, homeowners can create visually striking and modern interiors.
The Rise of Yellow: Adding Warmth and Sunshine
2024 is also the year for yellow to take center stage in interior design. Designers like Jake Arnold and Robin Standefer believe that buttery yellow hues can bring warmth and vibrancy to various spaces, such as kitchens, pantries, and outdoor areas. Whether it’s used for millwork or upholstery, yellow infuses a sense of energy and joy into a room. By incorporating this bold color, homeowners can create a space that radiates happiness and sunshine.
Marble Accessories: Beyond the Ordinary
In 2024, the use of stone or marble furniture and accessories is growing in popularity. Designers like Jenni Kayne advocate for going beyond the expected and incorporating marble coasters, trays, and even coffee tables that add a touch of luxury and sophistication to any room. By embracing unusual materials, homeowners can inject personality and uniqueness into their home decor.
Dark Wood-Paneled Walls: Creating Warmth and Coziness
Dark wood-paneled walls are experiencing a revival in 2024 as homeowners seek to create spaces that exude warmth and coziness. This typology instantly transforms a room from traditional to modern, as designers like Robin Standefer highlight. By pairing wood paneling with modern furniture, homeowners can achieve a timeless and inviting aesthetic. For those on a budget, faux bois or wood veneer wallpaper can be used to create the look without breaking the bank.
Embracing Local Makers and Design: Connecting to Place
One of the emerging trends in interior design is the emphasis on connecting to the local environment through craftsmanship and materials. Designers like Vicky Charles believe that drawing on the local vernacular allows for a deeper connection to the place. By incorporating reclaimed floors, respecting heritage architecture, and appreciating the hand of the maker, homeowners can create spaces that reflect the unique character of their surroundings. This trend also aligns with the growing interest in sustainability and the desire for unique, storied pieces with a sense of history.
Mixing Textures: Adding Depth and Dimension
In 2024, homeowners are becoming more adventurous with texture, mixing different materials to create depth and dimension in their homes. Designers like Jenni Kayne advocate for the use of varied textures, such as plaster walls mixed with wood floors or ceilings. This effortless approach brings a tactile quality to a space and adds visual interest. By embracing corduroys, mohairs, and velvet staples, homeowners can create a harmonious blend of color, pattern, and texture that complements each other.
Silver Accents: Timeless Elegance
Silver accents are set to lead the way in 2024, as they convey a sense of timeless elegance. Robin Standefer believes that silver strikes the perfect balance between traditional and modern, making it a versatile choice for interior design. Whether it’s through silver accessories or statement pieces, incorporating silver elements adds a touch of sophistication and refinement to any space.
Embracing Collectibles: Curating a Personalized Home
The art of the collection is gaining momentum in 2024, as homeowners embrace the idea of curating meaningful and one-of-a-kind pieces within their homes. Designers like Jeremiah Brent emphasize the importance of incorporating pottery, dishware, and art that adds a bespoke feel to a space. By including these pieces as the final layer of accessorizing, homeowners can create a personalized and curated interior that reflects their individual tastes and stories.
Futuristic Materials: Breaking Through the Noise
Contemporary pieces and fixtures developed with innovative materials are set to break through the noise in 2024. Designers like Kelly Wearstler predict the use of recycled plastics and fibers grown from fungi as materials that will define the future of interior design. These materials not only offer a sustainable alternative but also bring a sense of uniqueness and creativity to a space. By embracing futuristic materials, homeowners can create visually striking and environmentally conscious interiors.
What’s on Its Way Out
As with any trend cycle, certain design elements are making their exit in 2024. Instagram design, characterized by the replication of staged interiors seen on social media, is losing its appeal. Homeowners now crave real, authentic spaces that reflect their individuality and withstand the test of daily life. This departure from flawless aesthetics is a shift towards creating interiors that are connected to those who live in them.
Other trends on their way out include the ubiquitous ivory boucle, fake fur throws, and fast furniture. The ivory boucle trend, once popular for its texture, is being replaced by a desire for richer colors and patterns. Homeowners are now seeking investment pieces that can stand the test of time rather than mass-produced, disposable furniture. In terms of decor, fake fur throws are being replaced by woven textures and knits that showcase the craftsmanship and human touch.
Furthermore, minimalist design is losing its appeal as homeowners seek to infuse their spaces with warmth and personality. Bland uniformity is being replaced by layered implementations of neutrals, striking a balance between minimalism and maximalism. Additionally, angular mid-century modern furniture and all-white kitchens are on their way out, making room for more adventurous choices, bold colors, and kitchens that feel more like living rooms.
In conclusion, the interior design trends of 2024 are all about embracing quiet luxury, personalization, and a departure from staged perfection. From the use of classic, investment pieces to the incorporation of vintage lighting and the revival of dark wood-paneled walls, homeowners are seeking to create spaces that reflect their individual tastes and stories. By incorporating fashion colors, mixing textures, and embracing futuristic materials, designers are pushing the boundaries of creativity and sustainability. As we bid farewell to trends like Instagram design and fake fur throws, we welcome a new era of interior design that celebrates authenticity and personal expression.